25 October 2011

No, I'm not having crazy preggo cravings (cuz I'm not preggo)...and no, I haven't lost my mind either! I just happened to make some candles out of some saved up jars that used to be in the fridge...holding food.

Honestly, most of these jars would typically wind up in the recycling...but I finally got smart. You see, there have been times when I've said to myself, "self, that's a cute project that involves a glass jar!" But then I realize that I don't have any glass jars.

On one occassion (cough, cough, hint, bridal shower) I even bought some mason jars because I didn't have any on hand. Boy was that silly! After seeing the stash I'd collected in just a few weeks, I'm hoping that I've learned to go green and put those containers to new use, through one craft or another.

This project was something that I've been dye-ing to try! LOL! I crack myself up!

I'd heard it was possible to dye glass different colors using glue and food coloring, but I wanted to give it a test run.

Honestly, the most difficult part of this project was getting the stinkin' labels off of the jars. I couldn't find my trusty Goo Gone, but I found soaking the jars in warm water to be helpful.

Once they were soaked, I peeled off what I could, and scrubbed with soap and water to remove the rest of the sticky gunk from the jars.

Then I went all out and spent a whopping $.50 on some school glue.

To get some color, I used a few drops of blue food coloring and a hint of green food coloring. This created an aqua color, and in case you haven't noticed, I happen to be in love with aqua!

After one coat, the glass had a nice soft tint, but I wanted to go for something with a bit more pop.

The second coat was just what I was looking for. I loved the color and the level of transparency! These photos were taken when the glue was still wet...

...and these were taken once the glue had dried....

One word...L.O.V.E!

This project was so easy, so cheap, and the results are so fun! I can think of so many fun things to do with this, but for this photo shoot, I just threw some candles in.

I tried to get some shots from different times of the day so that you could see the color in different lighting. I loved how the color appeared soft in strong light, but more vibrant in darker light. They looked pretty natural to me, but what do you think?

Granted, there were a few spots where I didn't catch the air-bubbles or the drips, but I never sweat the small stuff when I try a project out for the first time.

I learned that I need to wait a bit longer in between coats so that the glue can dry completely first, but you might remember from this project that waiting patiently has never been one of my strong suits.

Grand total on this project...$.50, and a few hours. A great project for some weekend craftiness on a tight budget!

So here's what I learned:

Keep food jars! It's green and fun! This is just one of many crafts you can do with them.

Patience is a virtue. Wait longer in between coats.

Don't sweat the small stuff. Projects don't have to be perfect all of the time. In fact, in many cases, imperfection creates an aged or weathered look.

It is possible to craft for less than $1.00. You don't have to spend a lot of money. Use what you have around the house.

This idea could be used to make cute gifts. Fill the jars with bath salts, or even snacks. The glue is on the outside of the jar, so it won't contaminate any food items!

So tell me, what would you do with these jars? What color would you paint them? I think I might try some red and orange ones next considering fall is just around the corner. I'm so glad I tried this!

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